Distribution and substation equipment used to supply electrical power have used wildlife protection to prevent wildlife from simultaneously contacting energized and grounded surfaces or adjacent phases. When such contact occurs, short circuits and consequent power outages frequently are the result. The wildlife protection is typically applied to an equipment bushing or lightning arrester of the distribution or substation equipment. For adequate protection, a number of presently available wildlife guards have also required an insulated or covered wire interconnecting apparatus on the substation and distribution system.
Available wildlife guards have posed problems because they only attempt to deter the animal from simultaneously touching a grounded surface and an energized surface by functioning as a barrier, for example. The guards do nothing to keep the animal from climbing on the equipment entirely. As a result, because the animal is not deterred from staying away from the equipment entirely, the animal may still find a way to simultaneously touch energized and grounded surfaces or may cause the wildlife guard to be move or removed from the protected device. Additionally, the animals, particularly squirrels, have a tendency to chew on prior art wildlife guards. As a result there is a need for a wildlife guard that prevents or deters animals from climbing upon energized equipment.